scourge
UK [skɜ:dʒ] US [skɝ:dʒ] noun countable usually singular
■something or someone that causes great suffering or a lot of trouble 祸害，祸根；麻烦制造者•the scourge of war战争之苦 •Aids has been described as the scourge of the modern world.爱滋病已被称为现代社会的灾难。
UK [skɜ:dʒ] US [skɝ:dʒ] verb transitive
■to cause great suffering or a lot of trouble 祸害，祸根；麻烦制造者•The country has been scourged by (= has suffered very much because of) famine in recent years.近年来这个国家遭受了大饥荒的苦难。 |